Alas and alack, that's just the old man in me. You know, they will take my books when they pry them from my cold dead fingers. In fact, the decline of the book has made me a kind of pusher. Psst, kid! I can score you a vintage “Harry Potter” book. A book. From way back in 1997!

Then the article pours salt in my wound, reminding me that bookshelves actually started becoming more than bookshelves — or less, if you ask me — before everything started going digital: It offers tips for how to arrange books for looks.

Who has space to arrange books for looks? I guess most people do. I do well to get mine crammed onto shelves and nooks and crannies all over the house, grouped roughly by subject.

“Use both horizontal and vertical stacks of books to create some diversity in the shelving unit,” it says. “Consider sorting them by color and-or size to create a cohesive look. If the spines of your books are damaged or unattractive consider covering them in paper or fabric to make them look cleaner and prettier. Use a mix of hardcover, paperbacks and magazines.”

Egad. Books for looks! Melvil Dewey spins in his grave. Shelve the idea. Bibliophiles unite!